In buildings, roads, and other large structures, binary viscous fluids may be required for coatings, to define indicia, and for other purposes. Binary fluids may require special handling, for example, where freshly applied binary fluid is subject to curing, it is possible that control of proportions, appropriate blending and mixing, and urgency in application where curing starts spontaneously must all be accommodated.
An example is seen in application of lane divider lanes, direction arrows, and other indicia must be applied to a road surface. In prior practice, the first component of a binary fluid is applied first, followed by application of a second component of the binary fluid. This may be performed for example using two independent dispensing vehicles, one following immediately after the other. This scenario entails certain constraints to successful application of the final binary fluid. One potential problem is that the second component may not be applied in precise registration over the first component. A second problem is that after the second component is applied, it may be difficult to fully or effectively blend the first and second components to arrive at proper constituency. It may also be difficult to apply the first and second components at mutually satisfactory degrees of layer thickness, to control velocity from a discharge nozzle, and to control degree of atomization where atomization is needed, among others issues which may arise.
In actual practice, the situation may be even more complicated. Dispensed materials may include not only two components of a binary fluid, such as epoxy, which may include a base component and a hardening component, but may also include aggregates. As employed herein, an aggregate is a pulverized or comminuted material which becomes embedded or entrained in the binary fluid, but does not change its chemical nature. For example, rigid particles such as sand or hollow glass beads may be added to the binary fluid. Additionally, there may be a second, different aggregate, such as crumbled rubber particles. And in a still more complicated situation, two types of aggregates may be incorporated, both rigid and flexible particles (e.g., sand and crumbled rubber).
In conventional practice, this situation may require up to four separate applications to the environmental substrate: the two components of the binary fluid, and the two aggregates. This greatly introduces opportunity for mishaps and ineffective application of desired materials. Excessive time from the first to the last application, inaccuracy in quantities or location in laying down one or more materials being deposited, unintended variations in temperature, encountering rain, and other hazards make successful application subject to disruption and consequential failure.
Additionally, specifications of the materials being deposited or applied may change. For example, a different type of binary fluid requiring adjustment of proportions of its associated components may be required.
There exists a need in the art for apparatus to apply binary viscous fluids with aggregate successfully to environmental surfaces.